Saint Roche Oil Boiler LWCO
I had the triple pass Biasi/now saint Roche boiler installed in February and added a ground floor zone in the process. Since it’s been installed the boiler runs for a while and then I get a LWCO red light. The original plumber won’t return calls and 2 other plumbers have come. We changed the water feed fill valve, air tank and added a spirovent. The only way I can override the warning and activate the boiler is by adding a quick injection of water with fill valve. There are no visible leaks anywhere in the system. I keep trying to bleed air from radiators. What next?
Comments
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… forgot, cleaned and then changed lwco probe
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If all you are getting when bleeding the radiators is water, it is not an air problem.
A picture or multiple pictures of your heating system would help us to help you.
If your bladder tank is not charged with enough air pressure for all the floors in your home you will have circulation problems and you will have lost your point of no pressure change which will cause your circulator to cease to function properly to push water.
If the new pressure tank was installed with the normal 12 PSIG charge it may not be enough pressure to create the point of no pressure change to assure the circulator can push water.
You need to drain the water from the bladder tank and remove it if it has no shut off valve and then go to the charts that show how much pressure your bladder tank needs for your homes number of floors/ square area and add air to the tank to create the required pressure on the air side of the bladder for your system to create the point of no pressure change.
Steel compression tanks are so much simpler to use, sigh.
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When the LWCO probe was installed make sure they only used pipe dope and not any Teflon Tape.
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I was thinking the same thing. But why would adding water change that. Sounds like there is a legit lack of water issue at least around the probe
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The instructions for my Bell & Gossett RB-122-E Low Water Cut Off stated that no pipe dope or teflon tape was to be used on the bronze threads as it would affect the ability of the sensor to work properly and be less conductive which would prevent the probe from working properly.
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Yeah it's interesting, they say different things. Hydrolevel is of two minds themselves—Below are their instructions for cyclegard and safgard.
As long as you take it easy the threads will cut into the tape and make a good electrical connection with the boiler—if they didn't then fittings would be a lot easier to remove from taped pipe!
But I only used dope on mine 😅
NJ Steam Homeowner.
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ok, I appreciate the feedback so far. I reached out to the plumber who has been helping me to solve this issue and shared your comments. He replied that the pressure tank was correct and he only used dope on the probe. Perhaps these pictures will help shed some light. Also wondering, when not tripping the lwco, the boiler turns on periodically for about 1 minute (when not calling for heat). Is that normal and/or part of the same problem? Thanks - very appreciative of your wisdom
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looks like a nice boiler. Is the well for the Hydrostat sensor under the control or is it remote wired from the control? i attached the manual but they are not clear on where it (the Hydrostat) should be mounted.
It looks like the supply pipe comes out the back of the boiler a few inches down from the top. This could leave air trapped in the top of the boiler.
I would call Saint Roche and aske them how to vent the top of the boiler. There may be a tapping you could install a bleed valve on.
The manual is not clear on the available tappings but the drawing shows what looks like some spare tappings.
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You have the Hydrostat 3250 Plus. Check/tighten all Grounds. All the way back to the panel if needed. And make sure the 1/4" hex screw is tight where the Hydrostat attaches to the Well.
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I’m sorry but that is one ugly install. Air scoop (incorrectly installed) and micro reabsorber.
Piped wrong, circs way too big, flue pipe not to code for oil, and on and on.
The immersion well does go into the top, and is the short immersion well, so your problem may just be air trapped at the top of the boiler.
I don’t see the extra provided ground wire installed.
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The zone panel is also mounted way too high for service. I would put it on the ground. Or maybe inside the sewage ejector.
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We can all pick any install apart but that doesn't help the OP with the LWCO issue.
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It’s important to point it out. I wouldn’t count on the person who installed that to be able to fix the homeowners problem.
And I did give my opinion on a solution
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I would check the pitch of the boiler , It should be pitched up toward the rear of the boiler to vent any trap air ...
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